During our Dec'11 visit to Kruger I took this photo of a black snake on the H1-5 between Letaba and Olifants. It was just after sunrise, hence the sun causing some reflectin on the head. Could anyone please assist with identification of this snake, please.

It's pretty hard not being able to use colour, but I'm 100% confident that it is a Mozambique Spitting cobra (Naja mossambica). The head shape, large shiny scales and the posture supports this, plus if you look carefully and you lighten up the photo slightly with photoshop you can see the black blotches on the belly scales near the head. I have to ask whether the snake was really black or whether the black colouration was because of the shadow from the rising sun? Mozambique spitting cobras are generally some shade of brown, and I have not heard of or seen a black specimen. Nice sighting though. Beats any lion sighting

"If you can only visit two continents in your lifetime, visit Africa.... TWICE" - R.Elliot

Thanks for the ID Puff Addy. I did actually look on the Internet and thought it was a spitting cobra but wasn't sure. Fortunately it didn't attempt to spit at me and was more intent on finding somewhere to hide. Whilst I was looking at the images on the back of my camera it disappeared. It always amazes me how fast they can move.